Supplier Quality Engineer
Location: Lincoln, UK
Contract Type: Contract (6 Months - Rolling Contract)
Working Pattern: Minimum 3 days per week on-site, with additional days as required
Start Date: ASAP
The Opportunity
An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced Supplier Quality Engineer to join a major engineering and manufacturing organisation in Lincoln. This operational role supports a high-volume production environment, focusing on resolving supplier quality issues, managing non-conformances and concessions, and driving corrective actions and continuous improvement.
This is not an inspection-based position; you will take ownership of supplier quality issues, investigate root causes, challenge suppliers, and ensure sustainable resolutions. Experience with casting, coating, or machining processes is highly advantageous, along with a strong engineering and manufacturing background.
The ideal candidate is self-motivated, resilient, and comfortable managing multiple priorities and communicating with stakeholders at all levels.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage supplier quality issues from identification through containment, root cause investigation, and permanent corrective action.
- Work directly with suppliers to resolve non-conformances and prevent recurrence.
- Manage supplier concessions and ensure appropriate actions are agreed and implemented.
- Support and manage engineering and supplier change requests.
- Identify opportunities for quality and process improvement in collaboration with suppliers.
- Hold regular supplier meetings and provide ongoing quality support and guidance.
- Develop a detailed understanding of supplier processes, products, and manufacturing capabilities.
- Visit suppliers as needed to understand processes, investigate issues, and support improvement activities.
- Challenge suppliers where quality, process, or delivery performance does not meet expectations.
- Ensure supplier issues are managed effectively to protect production and maintain on-time delivery.
- Work closely with internal teams to resolve issues.
- Support critical part meetings and provide updates on supplier quality risks and actions.
- Maintain accurate quality trackers, action logs, and relevant documentation.
- Monitor supplier performance and identify emerging quality risks.
- Present supplier quality issues, risks, and proposed solutions to management and senior stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and support implementation of corrective and preventative actions.
- Ensure quality activities comply with relevant processes and ISO 9001:2015 requirements.
- Manage a high volume of quality activities while maintaining strong attention to detail.
Requirements
- Proven experience in Supplier Quality Engineering or Supplier Quality within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Strong engineering background, ideally with a relevant engineering degree or equivalent qualification.
- Experience managing supplier non-conformance, concessions, corrective actions, and improvement activities.
- Strong understanding and practical application of ISO 9001:2015.
- Experience working directly with suppliers and confidently challenging supplier performance.
- Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Experience identifying constraints, understanding root causes, and implementing sustainable improvements.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including with senior management.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple trackers, actions, and deadlines.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Self-starter with the ability to work autonomously.
- Resilience and ability to operate effectively within a high-volume production environment.
- Ability to manage ambiguity and adapt to changing priorities.
- Strong computer skills and ability to work systematically with data and documentation.
- SAP experience is advantageous, but training can be provided.
Desirable Technical Experience
- Casting
- Coating
- Machining
- Complex engineered components
- Gas turbines
- Aerospace manufacturing
- Heavy engineering
- Industrial manufacturing
- Other technically complex or highly regulated manufacturing environments
What We're Looking For
- Ability to take ownership of supplier problems, understand technical and commercial implications, and drive corrective actions through to completion.
- Demonstrated experience in resolving significant supplier quality issues, managing non-conformances, driving root cause and corrective action, challenging suppliers, delivering quality or process improvements, managing competing quality issues, and communicating risks and solutions to senior stakeholders.
Working Pattern
Establishing a strong network with internal stakeholders and understanding the products and manufacturing processes will be essential for success in this role.